This is a character type that shows up frequently in HaremAnime and {{Visual Novel}}s.

It is usually a [[AlwaysFemale girl]], who grew up together with the main character, practically since infancy, and has been always in love with him, but instead of taking the initiative to become his girlfriend, she decided to take it slowly, developing a LikeBrotherAndSister relationship with him. In the most stereotypical examples, this trope is usually first demonstrated by a scene of her routinely visiting him in the morning, waking him up, walking to school with him, and [[ThroughHisStomach giving him a lunch box full of delicious food that she prepared]].

Basically, for the uninitiated observer, it would seem like they are already dating, and even those who know better, like their parents, or best friends, [[EveryoneCanSeeIt expect that they will eventually start dating and get married]].

At this point, the [[HaremGenre Harem]] plot or LoveTriangle starts, and in face of the new rivals she realizes that it's time to [[LetsGetDangerous get serious]]. HilarityEnsues, sometimes involving fights over her earlier "privileges" like feeding the protagonist, or as a trump card, bringing up some sort of ChildhoodMarriagePromise.

Often a GirlNextDoor, even more literally than that trope describes, living close to the protagonist.

In terms of personality, she tends to be either a YamatoNadeshiko in training, as evidenced by their cooking skills, serene patience, and the serving, yet guiding the boy at the same time, or the long friendship turns her into OneOfTheBoys, a {{Tsundere}} who seems to be VitriolicBestBuds with the boy.

In that thing we call RealLife [[labelnote:*]] ''What is that? [[IsItSomethingYouEat Can you eat it?]]'' [[/labelnote]], this sort of situation is ''very'' rare, mostly due to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imprinting_%28psychology%29#Westermarck_effect the Westermarck effect;]] people who have known each other since they were ''small'' children tend not to fall for one another because they ''literally'' have more of a sibling relationship. There are exceptions to this rule, but they're very rare (and, sadly, almost always [[AllLoveIsUnrequited one-sided]]). Typically, the earliest you can develop a proper "crush" on someone is your "pre-teen" years; works that posit an introduction of the couple prior to this can push the bounds of feasibility for many viewers.

Subtrope of ChildhoodFriends. See also ChildhoodFriendRomance for the more generic trope about people who knew each other since childhood falling in love.

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!!Examples:[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]* Almost all of the main love interests in {{Anime/DetectiveConan}}, especially Shinichi and Ran, Kaito and Aoko and Heiji and Kazuha. Shinichi and Ran are already a couple now ([[StarCrossedLovers sort of]]), but the other two are just too stubborn to admit they're in love. [[spoiler: Though it looks like Kazuha and Heiji ''are'' surely going that way.]]* Serena in the {{Anime/Pokemon}} anime. It took her a while to even bring up the first time they met (which Ash had forgotten), and is often patient and helpful towards her love interest, all while blushing and waiting for him to acknowledge her. Unfortunately for her, her love interest is [[ChasteHero Ash]], one of the most famous characters to ever be oblivious to love.* ''{{Naruto}}'': This series is filled with multiple examples, both male and female, even to the point of ridiculous. [[{{Hopeless Suitor}} Apparently no one can move on from anyone ''ever'', even with every reason to.]]** Hinata with Naruto himself as well. She always admired and crushed on Naruto since childhood, but [[ObliviousToLove he was always too oblivious to see it]]. Hinata [[spoiler:later confesses]], though Naruto never mentioned it again. She isn't over him and still keeps a hope of being with Naruto. [[spoiler:Her patience is rewarded; Naruto ''finally'' reciprocates her feelings in ''[[Anime/Naruto7TheLast The Last]]'', and by the epilogue, they're married with two children.]]** Jiraiya with Tsunade. Loved her since childhood, but never took the initiative. [[{{All Love Is Unrequited}} Not that she ever liked hi ... you get it by now, right?]] *** This one is even more tragic, because she actually did love him, but she was too afraid to get close to anyone because her loved ones keep dying. He dies anyway.** This gets subverted with [[spoiler: Naruto/Sakura and Ino/Sasuke.]]* ''{{Rahxephon}}'' has Haruka Shitow.* Anaru [[spoiler:and Tsuruko]] from ''Anime/AnoHanaTheFlowerWeSawThatDay''. [[spoiler: They ''may'' have chances to get together with the guys they like, Jintan and Yukiatsu, by the end of the series. [[EarnyourHappyEnding But only after an]] [[ComingOfAgeStory emotionally-exhausting journey]] [[TheWoobie for EVERYONE in their group]].]]* Manami from ''LightNovel/AsobiNiIkuYo''.* Mayu from ''BGataHKei''.* Misaki Etou from ''LightNovel/DragonCrisis''.* Kirie from ''Manga/GirlsBravo''.* ''InfiniteStratos'' has, unusually for the HaremGenre, ''two'' PatientChildhoodLoveInterest characters. The protagonist even classifies them as "First Childhood Friend:"[[note]]Also Rare for a HaremGenre for she is literally the first girl introduced[[/note]]" and "Second Childhood Friend", based on the time they met with him. The first is a {{Tsundere}}, the second a {{Yandere}}.* ''KimiNiTodoke'' has a rare male version; Ryuu is this to Chizuru. Strangely enough, she is also an example of the trope herself...but towards [[SiblingTriangle Ryu's older brother]].* Mimi from ''LovelyComplex'' [[BitchInSheepsClothing intentionally assumes this personality]] when around Ootani.* Klan Klein to Michael from ''MacrossFrontier''.* Haruko from ''Manga/MakenKi''* Asuka is this in one of [[HeroesWantRedheads Shinji's]] dream sequences in the last episode of ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion''.* ''OmamoriHimari'' starts with Rinko in the role, but it turns out Yuuto had an ArrangedMarriage and ChildhoodMarriagePromise with Kuesu before his memories were sealed and lets not forget Himari herself.* Subverted with Iroha from ''OniichanNoKotoNankaZenzenSukiJanainDakaraNe'', for she is ''VERY'' [[ClingyJealousGirl Clingy]].* Manami from ''[[LightNovel/OreNoImoutoGaKonnaNiKawaiiWakeGaNai Ore Imo]]''.* Sohara in ''Manga/HeavensLostProperty''.* Isana from ''YumekuiMerry''.* A possible interpretation of Koyuki's feelings for Ginta in ''Manga/{{MAR}}''. This attitude is [[spoiler: carried over into Snow as well, even though she didn't grow up with Ginta. The anime ends with Koyuki and Snow merging into one person to be with Ginta followed by a rather touching moment as they walk home together, their arms locked.]]* Rihoko from ''{{Amagami}}''* Shirayuki from ''LightNovel/HidanNoAria''.* Fujioka and Kana from ''Manga/MinamiKe'' have been friends for awhile and he has a longstanding crush on her. She's so ObliviousToLove though that one starts to wonder if he should just give up. Given how popular he is with the ladies though, he'll probably catch his break once she hits puberty.* Ringo Noyamane from ''Manga/AirGear'', where the protagonist Ikki actually lived for years in the ''same household'' with her and her sisters (the eldest of which, Rika, was [[PromotionToParent promoted to parent]]), so they were almost literally LikeBrotherAndSister. [[spoiler: She seems to have the upper hand now though, as Ikki's Link Tuner.]]* Takashi in ''HighschoolOfTheDead'', a male example. Subverted later: when Rei's boyfriend Hisashi is bitten by zombies, Takashi kinda uses it to get Rei for himself, and he's later shown to consider it as his personal MoralEventHorizon.** It's sort of [[PlayingWithATrope played with]] in regards to Rei herself. They had a ChildhoodMarriagePromise, started dating, then Rei broke up with Takashi, started dating his best friend (who was then killed by Takashi) and then she took her place in his BattleHarem / LoveTriangle alongside [[BloodKnight Saeko]].* Emily from GundamAGE. [[spoiler: She wins and marries Flit but at a very high price: knowing that she won mostly because the other girl in the "LoveTriangle", Yurin, died.]]* Neneko from ''Manga/DearS''.* Yuki from ''Manga/IketeruFutari''.* [[DeconstructedTrope Viciously criticised and torn apart]] in ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica''. Sayaka Miki was this to an IllBoy named Kyousuke Kamijou, quietly staying by his side as he was hospitalized without daring to tell him how she felt for him. When Sayaka became a MagicalGirl, she used her Wish to heal him so he could stop being stuck in the hospital. Thing is, doing things for someone else's sake ''without him/her even knowing'' -- is very much NOT a good idea in this particularly dark MagicalGirl series, and '''specially''' when it's paired with [[ShyBlueHairedGirl Sayaka's]] [[GreaterNeedThanMine huge]] [[HeroicSelfDeprecation and]] [[BlackandWhiteInsanity complex]] [[LoveFreak issues.]] Therefore, when she first expresses the desire to use her Wish for him, [[CoolBigSis Mami]] immediately [[ArmorPiercingQuestion questions her real purpose]], which makes Sayaka [[OhCrap go silent]]... [[spoiler: and seeing her friend and fellow prospect PCLI [[PluckyGirl Hitomi]] [[LoveConfession be assertive and true to *her* feelings for Kamijou]] and [[RelationshipUpgrade become his girlfriend instead]] is one of the '''several''' reasons why Sayaka [[DespairEventHorizon fell into utter despair]], and ultimately [[FaceHeelTurn became a witch]].]]* Both Yayoi Aoba and Sanae Nakazawa are this to Tsubasa in CaptainTsubasa. Yayoi moves on and stays JustFriends with him [[spoiler: and might end up with his friend Misugi instead]], while Sanae eventually switches to VictoriousChildhoodFriend when she and Tsubasa are teenagers [[spoiler: and they end up married]].[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fanfic]]* Deconstructed in the WebComic/{{Homestuck}} fic ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/841617 I Will Not Let This Consume Me.]]'' Eridan is too afraid of rejection to confess his feelings. He ends up resenting his friendship with Feferi and pushing her away.--> '''Eridan:''' I can't tell her, okay? I don't want to mess things up. What if I weird her out and she doesn't want me around anymore? What would I do then, Kar? No. I just need to think about it...clear my mind...think of the best way to approach this. Wait for the right moment.--> '''Karkat:''' [[ArmorPiercingQuestion What moment exactly?]] The one when she'll randomly reveal to you that she's been longing to touch you indiscreetly all along? Or the one when she'll finally notice you and fall for the red solicitations you're not even making because you're too scared? Answer me that. Because I can't even tell if you believe the rubbish that comes out of your mouth anymore.--> '''Eridan:''' What the fuck, Kar? I don't need this kind of bullshit from you.--> '''Karkat:''' Okay, sorry. But if you're waiting for me to tell you what you want to hear, you're talking to the wrong troll. Listen, dude, I get that it's pretty fucked up and complicated. But what's your plan? Wait your own feelings out? Wait for things to magically solve themselves?* Chiyo of ''FanFic/DespairsLastResort'' fell in love with a boy from her childhood and decided to wait until they were older to confess. [[spoiler: She never gets the chance. He dies of a terminal illness before she can.]][[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]* A variation in ''Literature/HalfPrince''. Since Zhou moved away 8 years before the events of the story he found Lan in an online game and became her husband there, at least until she looses interest and goes on to a new game. When he finds her again in both the real world and the new MMORPG she switches to she's developed to the point of no longer wanting to hide behind a man, and he has to adopt a more aggressive strategy to win her over. [[spoiler:He can't, and ends up losing her to Gui.]]* Literature/EvaLuna had strong feelings and slight whiffs of the trope for Huberto Naranjo, the local StreetUrchin and JerkWithAHeartOfGold, ever since they met as kids no older than 10. As a pre-teen, she was this to a T towards him, and was frustrated because he told her "Youre JustAKid" many times [[spoiler: which was a JerkAssFacade since he always held a torch for Eva but didn't want to admit it]]. When they did get together, they only saw each other counted times yet she pantiently waited for him. Unusually for the trope, Eva is critisized for it by [[spoiler: her CoolBigSis Mimi]], who also knows Huberto from childhood and loudly wonders "WhatDoesSheSeeInHim". [[spoiler: And in the end, they break up amiably and she gets together with IntrepidReporter Rolf instead.]]* Initially, [[Literature/TommyandTuppence Tommy Beresford to Tuppence Cowley]], who remained somewhat oblivious and insisted that she and Tommy were just good mates until the LoveEpiphany hit. For his part, Tommy treats Tuppence as a friend and does not make the full extent of his feelings known even to the reader until [[spoiler:she is believed dead and he launches into a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech on a lesser suitor who claims to mourn her deeply despite having known her for a matter of days.]][[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]* A non-Japanese example; Willow is this to Xander in the first seasons of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''.* In British sitcom ''TheInbetweeners'', Simon is this to Carli.* During the run of the 11th Doctor on ''Series/DoctorWho'' we find out that Rory was essentially like this to Amy Pond. They spent their childhood as friends, and as soon as they were old enough Rory feel hard for her and [[SingleTargetSexuality never even showed interest in anyone else]]. It was Amy that always had doubts and occasional longings for others, until they were actually married.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]* This is Shana's attitude towards her love for Dart in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfDragoon''. It takes the rest of the party talking some sense into Dart before he finally reciprocates.* In ''ArTonelico'', [[StoryWithinAStory Shurelia's cosmosphere]] has Aurica as this. At one point, she confesses her love to Lyner. [[ButThouMust He has to reject her]] in order to advance the plot of the cosmosphere. If he accepts, Shurelia will complain and force him to redo the level.* To an extent, at least to the [[{{Shipping}} shippers]], ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime's'' Saria and ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess''' Ilia.** The actual game has Ruto, who still considers herself your fiancee after the seven-year TimeSkip.** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' has Zelda herself, who, living on a tiny [[FloatingContinent floating island]], naturally has known Link all her life. The game starts with her sending a letter via her [[BondCreature Loftwing]] to [[GoodMorningCrono wake him up]] for his graduation ceremony.* Elements of this are played with both Cloud and Tifa from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII''. While the former's interest in Tifa isn't revealed until later into the game, the latter is the more obvious one being Cloud's staple childhood friend who has feelings for him, but it's subverted in that Tifa never really noticed him until after he left to join SOLDIER.* Tana from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'' is this to Ephraim. She can be one of his two brides, but her feelings can potentially be swayed towards [[DarkSkinnedBlond Cormag]] as well.** Tana's older brother Innes can be seen as a RareMaleExample towards Ephraim's twin sister Eirika. Again, he can end up with her but he can also fall for someone else: in his case, it's either [[ActionGirl Vanessa]] or [[WhiteMage L'Arachel]].* In FireEmblemAwakening, Cynthia is hinted to be this to Inigo. [[ChildhoodFriendRomance Whether she gets him or not]], it depends on your strategies. ** Ironically, it's implied that Owain is a RareMaleExample... for ''Cynthia'' herself. Again, whether they get together or not depends on you.** And this may or may not be the case for [[spoiler: Gerome]] in regards to Cynthia, too. And probably towards [[spoiler: Lucina]] as well. [[RuleOfThree You know the deal.]]* Tia from ''VideoGame/LufiaIIRiseOfTheSinistrals'' shows that this does ''not'' work; Selan, Maxim's [[RedStringOfFate destined love interest]], beats her into a confession. The man doesn't even notice her feeling for him.* In the first entry of the SNK {{Dating Sim}}s ''Days of Memories'', ''Boku to Kanojo no Atsui Natsu'' [[TheKingOfFighters Athena Asamiya]] is both this and the local IdolSinger. (Not in the others, however.)[[/folder]]

[[folder:Visual Novels]]* Akari from ''ToHeart'', who contributed to the popularization of this archetype, especially the waking him up in the morning part.* In ''CrossChannel'', the GenreSavvy Taichi comments that Nanaka's personality fits the PatientChildhoodLoveInterest trope, so it must be a flaw in the plot that she isn't really his childhood friend. [[spoiler:She's actually his ''mother''.]]** On the other hand, Youko is this trope deconstructed, and Taichi sees her as more of a {{Yandere}} StalkerWithACrush than anything.* Kei Shindou in ''EfAFairyTaleOfTheTwo'' is a classic {{Tsundere}} variation.* Kaede from ''{{Shuffle}}''. Sia and Nerine are childhood friends too, but Kaede's the one who fits the definition to a T.* BrassRestoration has a rare twist on this where the childhood friend, Minori, is a CloudcuckooLander. Much humor is milked from the way she seems to follow many of the traits in the trope description, in the worst ways possible, such as making lunch for Ryo...[[OneNoteChef except it's all]] [[TrademarkFavoriteFood rice.]]* Mizuka Nagamori from ONE ~To the Radiant Season~ is probably as straight as an example as it gets, possibly even [[ExaggeratedTrope exaggerated]], considering the extent to which she takes care of protagonist Kouhei Orihara, who is a troublesome combination of a JerkAss and CloudcuckooLander.* DaCapo has Sakura Yoshino, who's actually the protagonist's cousin but often called such by him. His [[NotBloodSiblings adopted sister Nemu]] has more of the stereotypical characteristics of this trope, though - waking him up in the morning, going to school, long standing love, etc.* Subverted with Otome Katou from ''VisualNovel/SchoolDays'', who triples as none other than AlphaBitch and JerkAss. * Sumika from ''Franchise/MuvLuv'' to Takeru. She's content with their [[{{TheMasochismTango}} masochism tango]] until the very aggressive Meiya came into the picture. Meiya herself may also count even though she wasn't with him for most of her life.* Sayaka Maizono from ''VisualNovel/DanganRonpa'' seems to be headed to this direction, even when she and Naegi knew each other mostly in passing. [[spoiler: Subverted in that Sayaka had decided to frame him for murder in the Hope's Peak murderous atmosphere... but then ''she'' was killed instead.]]* Mikae Morikawa from VisualNovel/TrueLoveJunaiMonogatari. Very cute, a {{tsundere}}, and the main guy's childhood friend. [[spoiler: And she has never forgotten the ChildhoodMarriagePromise they made.]]

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[[folder: Web Animation]]* [[{{GenkiGirl}} Nora]], of WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}, is attracted to [[CloudcuckoolandersMinder Ren]], but doesn't pursue a relationship with him because, in her own words, it would just be weird. (It's unclear whether he reciprocates or not.)[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]* In ''Webcomic/DubiousCompany'', whether or not [[TheChosenOne Sal]] can see [[WarriorMonk Leeroy]] as this is a bit ambiguous, but he is clearly smitten with her. Unfortunately for [[BornUnlucky Leeroy]], his main love rival is [[PalsWithJesus their]] [[RandomNumberGod God]].[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]* In ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' Sam had been Danny's friend since they were little kids, and despite her obvious attraction to him she CantSpitItOut [[spoiler: until the finale.]][[/folder]]----